“Older women are likewise to be…teaching what is good so that they may encourage the young women…that the Word of God will not be dishonored.” — Titus 2:3-5
Merea is a cross-generational group mentoring ministry that seeks to encourage younger women through the experience of older women. Monthly gatherings focus on character and spiritual development and creative activities.
Through Merea, younger women have the opportunity to learn life skills, such as gardening, decorating, meal planning, mending and budgeting. Merea mentors use skill training as a platform to build meaningful relationships for sharing life experience and faith stories.
Merea groups meet once each month for two years.
Participants in Merea are asked to:
- Commit to attending all meetings (missing one meeting means you are not together for two months),
- Determine to teach someone else the skills developed,
- Be involved in at least one ministry event with the Merea group, using newly developed skills.
Merea participation is reserved for members and regular attenders of Christ Covenant Church.
To register, please contact Dotsie Corwin.
A Testimony about Merea
When I was asked if I would like to be in a Merea group as one of the mentored gals, I was elated. I thought the window had already closed on that opportunity for me. I’m so glad it hadn’t. I think when our group of “older girls” first got started, our sweet mentors didn’t quite know what to do with us. We weren’t newbies at adulting, at marriage, or at parenting. We could already cook, they assumed, and do crafts.
But what I appreciate most about our mentors is how they shared life with us. Their testimonies of how God walked with them through deep sorrow gave me courage to trust Him with my future. Certainly they have been marked by those difficult circumstances, but not scarred. They have been, and are continuing to be, shaped by our Heavenly Father into the image of his beloved Son. They have encouraged us to be Titus 2 women for ourselves, through devotions, testimonies and conversation.
Our mentors poured into us, filling our lives with beautiful gifts such as potted plants, dried flowers, candles, Christmas napkins, sweet valentines, and a fun dinner with our husbands. But the most precious of gifts is the friendships established across the generations. After our scheduled times together concluded, the relationships continued. What a blessing to have been a part of Merea.
-Jen Litowski